The Michelin Red Guide is the definitive hotel and restuaraunt guide to France. Updated each year and with considerable practical benefits, it deserves its 'essential' reputation. The listings are symbol-based with short and helpful descriptions in English.
A strong practical-minded budget guide with exhaustive listings of accommodation, restaurants, bars, sights and so on. Rather rudimentary when it comes to historical and cultural context.
Each region, arranged alphabetically, is introduced and covered, with major sights highlighted and local hotels and restaurants suggested and rated according to cost. Good opening chapters provide background reading. Best for a tour by car.
Sawday picks the very best places to stay in France. Includes wide price and destination ranges, making it a useful reference for all visitors to France.
To eat well in Paris, simply pop this little gem in your pocket. Divided by region and written by experts it really reflects the diversity on offer. A detailed, passionate and trustworthy guide.
A self-consciously hip version of the LP 'Best Of' for visitors who don't mind the tone of their trip being dictated to them. The pull-out map is better however, not least because it can be removed.
An up-to-date guide featuring a pull-out map, a good range of accommodation and a selection of black and white photographs. The writing is thoughtful and engaging. Basic city maps throughout.
Michelin are hard to beat on home turf. This excellent, colourful general guide, arranged by region, primarily covers sightseeing, with lists of recommended hotels and restaurants included at the back.
A regularly-updated guide for a comfortable tour. Michelin are best on hotels and restaurants but provide ample context to back it up. Regions are arranged alphabetically. Maps are excellent as one would expect.
A self-conscious pocket guide that claims to approach the city holistically rather than as a list of highlights. Certainly it unveils some interesting lesser-known spots, and the pull-out map is first-rate, but some may find the tone of the writing somewhat hard to swallow.
A colourful, cultural guide to Europe with plenty of photographs and bird's eye graphics. Perfect as a sightseer's companion for an organised tour of the continent, rather than a practical travelling guide. Includes a general introduction to the history, art and landscape of Europe followed by a section on each country.
A hefty, all-inclusive guide for the student traveller. The countries covered include Austria, Greece, Sardinia & Corsica. Detailed accommodation, eating and travel listings are accompanied by maps.
A useful guide when planning a cruise, as it gives overviews of all the major ports of call on the Mediterranean. It also has helpful advice on booking, and a directory of cruise lines.
A large guide covering all of Europe; East & West. This guide is specifically designed for those on a tight budget. It includes detailed listings of the cheapest accommodation, eating and travel.
A catch-all for the budget traveller, this guide covers western Europe, giving travel advice, accommodation and recommended sites of interest. The Discover series is a selection of the main tourist attractions detailed in the individual country guides.
For a whistlestop tour of Central Europe the Lonely Planet guide covers all the basics, but skimps a bit on culture and history. Including chapters on Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia and Poland, not forgetting the 6 pages dedicated to Leichtenstein, it would be a good space-saving option.